Ice Hockey Tournament at Innsbruck 1976
Soviet Union, 1976 Olympic Champions, 5th Olympic title (4th in a row)
The Men´s Ice Hockey Tournament at the Winter Olympic Games 1976, took place at the Olympiahalle, Innsbruck, Austria. The same venue which hosted the Olympic tournament 12 years ago. The Consolation round matches were contested at the smaller Messehalle also in Innsbruck. The tournament was attended by 12 teams and was played from 2nd to 14th February 1976.
USSR won their 5th Olympic title (4th in a row) ahead of 2nd Czechoslovakia and 3rd West Germany. Just like 4 years ago in Sapporo, Canada once again decided to not participate. The Canadians continued their boycott, protesting against the "Amateur rules" which strongly advantaged the former Communist hockey powerhouses using their eligible "hidden employees" best players. But this time also Sweden having already at that time several players in the NHL, decided to join to the boycott and announced their withdrawal from the tournament. Other two additional qualified countries East Germany and Norway also did not participated to the tournament, confirming then only 12 participating nations.
All 12 countries were paired according to their placements in last previous Ice Hockey World Championships in 1975 into 6 qualification matches. The winners advanced to the Medal round and 6 losing teams went to the Consolation round (Group of 7th-12th places), both were played in a traditional Round-Robin format (every team playing once each opponent).
The qualification matches ended without any big surprise, all 6 top seeded countries won their games and did qualified for the medal round. USSR outclassed the Host Austria 16-3, United States defeated Yugoslavia 8-4, Finland won over Japan 11-2, West Germany against Switzerland 5-1 and Poland over Romania 7-4. Another big favorite of the tournament Czechoslovakia defeated the debuting Bulgaria 14-1.
Czechoslovakia was considered to be the main rival of the Soviets. The current Czechoslovakian team was at that time one of the strongest and most talented teams in the history, which was later proved by two back-to-back world champion titles in Katowice and Vienna 76 and 77. Unfortunately the team suffered several hard experiences in Innsbruck, everything started with a contagious Flu epidemic inside the team resulting in the game against Poland, when the team played with only 12 players on the bench. Czechoslovakia still managed to defeat the Poles easily 7-1 but one of the players using antibiotics ordered by the doctor was caught after the game for doping violation, the result was then recorded in favor of Poland 1-0, Poland did not receive any point though. But The sudden and unexpected loss of points from this match stopped considerably the hope for gold.
But still before the final day they were still in the battle for the overall triumph in case of win against USSR. The match started well for the Czechoslovaks, leading 2-0 and 3-2 during the match, but the Soviets managed to score two late goals (the winner scored by the legendary Kharlamov in the 56th minute) and win the game 4-3 to winning gold with 10 points.
As expected the USSR - Czechoslovakia clash scheduled for the last day, was the real finale and "direct" match for gold
The other big surprise of the tournament was definitely the West German team. winning bronze, which is still valuated as one of the biggest result in the history of German ice Hockey. After the withdrawal of Canada and Sweden, it was Finland (which finished 4th in the last six world championships in a row !!!) who was considered as the main favorite for bronze ahead of USA. But it was the West Germans who took the bronze topping the mini table of 3 teams finishing the medal round with 4 points behind USSR and Czechoslovakia. West Germany lost to Finland 3-5 in the final round second game, but After the surprising win of the Americans over Finland 5-4, The win 4-1 in the very last match against the United States was enough for the team around Erich Kuhnhackel to finish third ahead of 4th Finland and 5th USA. Poland just like 4 years ago finished again last 6th in the medal round pointless.
The biggest surprise of the tournament was definitely the West German team, picture from the winning last match over the United States (4-1) which brought them the unexpected Bronze
Romania with 8 points topped the consolation round to grab a valuable 7th place just in front of 8th Austria and 9th Japan.
Czechoslovakia with a team that won the world title a couple of months later and maintained it also the next year too started the tournament very well recording a easy win over the debuting Bulgaria in the qualification game 14-1,
but then started troubles.
At first a serious influenza inside the team, with many players resting in the Olympic village because of illness a decimated team entered the medal round. In the first matches it was enough, but they fought hard to beat Finland 2-1, scoring two unanswered goals in the second part of the game and turning the outcome of the match. In the second game the team defeated USA 5-0 with only 14 players fielded in the line up. In the next match it was only 12 players assigned in the 7-1 win over Poland. Unfortunately one of them was tested positive after the match and the team consequently lost the match 0-1 and lost the points from the match.
The really Angry team then defeated the West Germans 7-4 to definitely assure at least the medal. there was finally still a chance for the gold in case of win over the Soviets in the last match, but the stronger Soviet players won this game 4-3 and took the gold. Until now this tournament is still considered as our another missed huge chance for the Olympic glory.
1976 Olympic medalists, from left Czechoslovakia, USSR, West Germany
Final Ranking:
1. USSR
2. Czechoslovakia
3. West Germany
4. Finland
5. United States
6. Poland
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7. Romania - Consolation Round
8. Austria - Consolation Round
9. Japan - Consolation Round
10. Yugoslavia - Consolation Round
11. Switzerland - Consolation Round
12. Bulgaria - Consolation Round
Japanese TV Highlights of the Final match USSR vs Czechoslovakia deciding the Gold